Policies

Find out more about the official policies that affect all individuals involved with the 2020 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo:

• General registration and age policies
• Badges
• Ticketed sessions
• Special registration types
• Payment policy
• Confirmations and receipts
• Upgrade policy
• Cancellation/refund policy
• Conduct and liability policy

General Registration and Age Policies

Each person attending must register.

• The person attending must be the person logged in to the website when registering.
• If you complete a registration on behalf of another individual, you are warranting that you have made the attendee aware of these terms and that they have accepted these terms.
• Only one person may be registered per order.

If your AACC membership is going to expire before the end of the meeting (December 17, 2020), then you must renew your membership at the time of registration to be eligible for the AACC member discount. Your membership is valid for one year from the date your payment is processed or one year from your current expiration date, whichever is later.

Once you have registered, please be aware that your fees will not be adjusted downward based on any sponsorship, discount, or other reason.

Registration does not include travel and accommodation.

AACC permits individuals ages 16 and 17 with a valid government issued photo ID to register for and attend the 2020 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo if accompanied by a registered adult. Children under 16, however, are not permitted on the exhibit floor or in the educational sessions at any time.

Badges

Badges will not be mailed.

All registrants must show a valid government-issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, etc.) to pick up their badges at the convention center or at headquarter hotels (though please note that hotel pick-up is only available to those who have pre-registered).

Badges must be worn at all times while in the convention center and while attending AACC sponsored events.

Badges cannot be shared.

Registrants may update badge information online.

Ticketed Sessions

A Conference registration is required to attend ticketed sessions, which include Roundtables and AACC University sessions.

With the exception of these ticketed sessions, the meeting's inclusive pricing structure allows Conference registrants to access all other scientific sessions for a single flat fee.

Ticketed sessions and events have limited seating and are sold on a first come, first served basis. No wait list will be maintained for sold-out ticketed sessions.

Roundtables are limited to 11 people per session with no exceptions.

Registrants may not purchase more than one ticket to a single AACC University course or Roundtable session. Guests cannot be accommodated.

All registrants must show a valid government issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, etc.) to pick up their tickets at the convention center.

Special Registration Types

Poster Presenters

In order to present your poster, you must have either a full Conference registration or a Daily conference registration for the day of your poster presentation.

AACC University

To attend AACC University courses on Sunday, you are only required to pay the session fee. Sunday Daily registration is free.

Guests/Spouses

Guest/spouse registration is available only with the purchase of a full Conference registration.

Guest/spouse registrants are not eligible for continuing education credits.

Non-member Students/Trainees

Students and trainees who are not current AACC Trainee Members are not eligible for discounted registration fees, which are a benefit of AACC membership.

You may join AACC when you register. To qualify for discounted trainee registration, you must provide proof of current, full-time student/trainee status. Trainee membership dues are $40 per calendar year and will be added to your registration fee.

Express Members

Express Members are not eligible for the AACC member registration discount.

Payment Policy

AACC requires full payment of all fees to register. We do not accept purchase orders.

Online registration must be paid by credit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.

To pay by wire transfer or check, print a registration form and follow the instructions on the form:

• Conference registration form
• Expo Only registration form

Confirmations and Receipts

You will receive a confirmation email within two weeks of receipt of your registration form with complete payment. To make sure this confirmation reaches you, please ensure that your valid email is entered correctly during registration. Also, be sure to check your junk email box in case any of our emails are caught by spam filters.

Registrants may view their confirmation or print a receipt online.

Upgrade Policy

Expo Only (exhibit hall access) registration may be upgraded to a full Conference registration, which includes access to the educational sessions of the AACC Annual Scientific Meeting.

You may upgrade by:

• Returning to the Registration Resource Center (either via this page or the link in your confirmation email) and selecting “Upgrade.”
• Faxing or mailing in a printed Conference registration form according to the instructions on the form.

Cancellation/Refund Policy

Expo Only Registration

There will be no cancellations, refunds, or transfers of Expo Only registration fees.

Conference Registration

All conference cancellation requests must be received in writing.

• If your written cancellation is received by October 29, you will receive a refund of your conference registration fee.
• No refunds will be granted to registrants whose cancellation requests are received after October 29.

If a conference registrant is unable to attend, the registration may be transferred to another person through October 29. Please email the AACC Customer Service Center for details or call us at 1.508.743.8506.

No conference registration transfers are permitted after October 29.

Conduct and Liability

Conduct Policy

AACC is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment to all participants at AACC-related events. This Conduct Policy applies to all AACC activities, including all official AACC-sponsored events and online presence, including social media. 

All attendees, media, speakers, organizers, staff, and exhibitors associated with any AACC-sponsored event agree to adhere to the following principles:

• Respect common-sense rules for public behavior, personal space and interaction, courtesy, and respect for private property.
• Be considerate and respectful of differing perspectives during the meeting.
• Respect the rules and policies of AACC, the meeting venue, hotels, and city.

AACC prohibits discrimination, harassment—sexual or otherwise—and bullying against any person for any reason. Accordingly, some behaviors are specifically prohibited:

• Intimidation, stalking, harassment, inappropriate physical contact, unwelcome sexual attention, inappropriate photography, or discrimination.
• Abusive, harassing, or threatening behavior.
• Yelling at, threatening, or personally insulting participants or presenters (verbally or physically).

Participants asked to stop engaging in unacceptable behavior are expected to comply immediately.

All participants are expected to alert staff or security of any dangerous situations, violations of this Policy, or of anyone in distress.

Consequences

AACC may remove any individual from attendance or other participation in any AACC-sponsored activity or event without warning or refund. AACC meeting attendance badges are the property of AACC and must be returned to AACC upon request.

AACC may also prohibit the individual from attending or participating in future AACC events and, among other actions, may take action related to the individual’s AACC membership and/or volunteer service.

AACC may involve venue security or local law enforcement as appropriate based on the specific circumstances.

Reporting

Violations of the Conduct Policy should be reported to onsite event staff (whether AACC or venue security). Some ways to make a report include contacting:

• AACC or security staff in the convention center.
• AACC Headquarters Office in the convention center.
• AACC via email at meetings@aacc.org.

Event staff will help participants contact venue security or local law enforcement, or otherwise assist, as needed.

Liability

Each attendee agrees that:

• Except as required by law, neither AACC nor its affiliates shall be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential costs, damages, or losses arising directly or indirectly from the event/activity or other aspect related thereto.
• AACC may update its programming, speakers, and other pertinent details at any time.
• AACC reserves the right to change, amend, add, or remove any Policies, Terms, or Conditions in its sole discretion and without prior notice. If one or more of the conditions outlined in these Terms and Conditions should become invalid, the remaining conditions will continue to be valid and apply. These Policies, Terms, and Conditions apply to all event participants (attendees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors).